Children must be supervised at all times

Police warn parents, guardians:

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has reminded parents and guardians that young children need to be meticulously supervised at all times.

The reminder was made on Wednesday at the Police Service’s weekly press briefing at police headquarters in Port of Spain by public information officer Inspector Wayne Mystar, after he read a report of a two-year-old boy who had accidentally ingested kerosene the week before.

“The TTPS wants to remind members of the public that children need meticulous supervision at all times. Keep all household chemicals and cleaning products out of sight and in cupboards; keep potentially harmful products high up and out of reach, never by the sink or on the ground by toilets; move products out of reach of children if you are called away when using them; dispose of empty containers safely out of the reach of children; keep all medicines and chemicals in their original containers, so it is clear what it in them and it is harder for children to open them; and also keep your eye on your children whenever they are in other homes as others may not follow the same safety rules as you do,” Mystar advised.

According to police reports, at about 10 a.m. on June 27, along Wilson Trace, Palo Seco, a 29-year-old mother was in company with her two-year-old son and other relatives when the toddler left the presence of the adults and went to a bedroom of the home. A short while later, a relative went to check on the toddler and upon entering the bedroom the relative noticed a strong odour.

Upon finding the toddler, the relative observed that the young child was holding a two-litre soft drink container which was filled with kerosene.

The child was rushed to Siparia Health Facility, where he was successfully treated and stabilised by Dr Sinanan, before he was transferred to San Fernando General Hospital. The toddler received further treatment at the hospital before being eventually discharged.